Maria Nordwall1,2, Mats Fredriksson3,4, Johnny Ludvigsson1,5, Hans J Arnqvist6. 1. Division of Paediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden. 2. Vrinnevi Hospital, Norrköping, Östergötland, Sweden. 3. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden. 4. Forum Östergötland, Linköping University, Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden. 5. Division of Paediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Crown Princess Victoria Children's Hospital, Linköping University, Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden. 6. Departments of Endocrinology and Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Östergötland, Sweden hans.arnqvist@liu.se.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sex, age at diabetes onset, puberty, and HbA1c, with subjects followed from diabetes diagnosis and during different time periods, as risk factors for developing diabetic simplex and proliferative retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a population-based observational study, HbA1c for 451 patients diagnosed with diabetes before 35 years of age during 1983-1987 in southeast Sweden was followed for up to 18-24 years from diagnosis. Long-term mean weighted HbA1c (wHbA1c) was calculated. Retinopathy was evaluated by fundus photography and analyzed in relation to wHbA1c levels. RESULTS: Lower wHbA1c, diabetes onset ≤5 years of age, and diabetes onset before puberty, but not sex, were associated with longer time to appearance of simplex retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy was associated only with wHbA1c. The time to first appearance of any retinopathy decreased with increasing wHbA1c. Lower wHbA1c after ≤5 years' diabetes duration was associated with later onset of simplex retinopathy but not proliferative retinopathy. With time, most patients developed simplex retinopathy, except for those of the category wHbA1c ≤50 mmol/mol (6.7%), for which 20 of 36 patients were without any retinopathy at the end of the follow-up in contrast to none of 49 with wHbA1c >80 mmol/mol (9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Onset at ≤5 years of age and lower wHbA1c the first 5 years after diagnosis are associated with longer duration before development of simplex retinopathy. There is a strong positive association between long-term mean HbA1c measured from diagnosis and up to 20 years and appearance of both simplex and proliferative retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sex, age at diabetes onset, puberty, and HbA1c, with subjects followed from diabetes diagnosis and during different time periods, as risk factors for developing diabetic simplex and proliferative retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a population-based observational study, HbA1c for 451 patients diagnosed with diabetes before 35 years of age during 1983-1987 in southeast Sweden was followed for up to 18-24 years from diagnosis. Long-term mean weighted HbA1c (wHbA1c) was calculated. Retinopathy was evaluated by fundus photography and analyzed in relation to wHbA1c levels. RESULTS: Lower wHbA1c, diabetes onset ≤5 years of age, and diabetes onset before puberty, but not sex, were associated with longer time to appearance of simplex retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy was associated only with wHbA1c. The time to first appearance of any retinopathy decreased with increasing wHbA1c. Lower wHbA1c after ≤5 years' diabetes duration was associated with later onset of simplex retinopathy but not proliferative retinopathy. With time, most patients developed simplex retinopathy, except for those of the category wHbA1c ≤50 mmol/mol (6.7%), for which 20 of 36 patients were without any retinopathy at the end of the follow-up in contrast to none of 49 with wHbA1c >80 mmol/mol (9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Onset at ≤5 years of age and lower wHbA1c the first 5 years after diagnosis are associated with longer duration before development of simplex retinopathy. There is a strong positive association between long-term mean HbA1c measured from diagnosis and up to 20 years and appearance of both simplex and proliferative retinopathy.
Authors: Chelsea Zimmerman; Brittany Bruggeman; Amanda LaPorte; Shalesh Kaushal; Michael Stalvey; Giovanna Beauchamp; Kristin Dayton; Paul Hiers; Stephanie L Filipp; Matthew J Gurka; Janet H Silverstein; Laura M Jacobsen Journal: Diabetes Spectr Date: 2021-01